Managing Stress without Using Medication

(Guest post by Jon Reyes. Jon is a respected and expert voice in a plethora of health related subjects with over 10 years of writing under his belt).

If you have ever experienced stress and anxiety, you know how much of a burden it can be to complete everyday tasks and even getting out of bed can feel impossible. Trust me, I know. I have suffered from generalized anxiety disorder most of my life.

Having anxiety can feel like the end of the world but, trust me, it’s not. It can make life more challenging, but you’re strong, you have survived every day of your life up to this point.

Over my personal journey, I have learned how to manage my anxiety and stress with a few, simple methods which help slow me down and collect my thoughts without allowing my triggers to take over. In this article, I will share a few of my techniques with you, either try them yourself or modify accordingly to best suit your needs. Let’s get started.

Recite Positive Mantras or Affirmations

This may seem asinine but bear with me, talk to yourself. Yes, speak to yourself! Stating your intentions in a positive, vocal manner, will help you come back to reality when it feels like the world is falling apart. Giving yourself a few seconds to speak something positive will prevent you from purely reacting to whatever the trigger for your stress may be.

I tell myself something my mother would always recite for me “Believe in the good things coming.” Taking a few seconds to ground myself has saved me years of regrets. If you’re prone to stress and anxiety, or just need to hear something positive, believe in the good things coming.”

Get Some Exercise

Even if you’re not the type of person to hit the gym every day, get some endorphins flowing and get a workout in. I am a martial artist. Whenever I feel stressed out, I save it for Judo class. Taking your stresses out in a physical way will make your brain secrete “happy hormones,” such as dopamine and serotonin, both of which make one feel happy so to speak.

Exercise is one of the healthiest outlets for reducing stress and anxiety, give it a shot next time you feel that venomous surge of stress coming on.

Spend Time with Your Pet

If you’re a pet owner, you probably are fully aware of this method but for redundancy, let’s break it down. I have a cat; his name is Cupid. Whenever I’m stressed out, angry, or anxious, I give him a few loving pets and feel him purr. This is one of the most calming feelings I‘ve ever experienced. Studies have shown if you spend time with your pets, your blood pressure will gradually be reduced. Simple, efficient and cuddly, this method is one of the best for reducing stress.

There are so many more methods which I haven’t mentioned here. Such methods include meditation, having a good belly laugh, and listening to music. When it comes to reducing stress, you’re only limited by your imagination. No two people are the same so some may work for you, others might not, and that’s okay. Just find a method which works best for you and apply it. Stress is a tricky beast, but it can be controlled. Best wishes to you.

Love your tips! They are all useful. I noticed that my mood leveled out and greatly improved when I started working out, and getting a dog helped me stop overeating and have since lost 25 pounds! Great post!